Bahir Dar is the gateway to the Blue Nile Falls and the monasteries on Lake Tana and the surrounding peninsulas. Measuring 68 kms by 73 Kms, Lake Tana is the largest water body in Ethiopia, is dotted with 37 islands of which 20 shelters Churches and monasteries. Bahir Dar is a beautiful town with tree-lined avenues and set on the shores of the deep blue Lake Tana.

The city of Bahir Dar lies on the southern tip of Lake Tana enjoying a pleasant, tropical type of climate. Today the city is developing fast into a place of considerable social, political and economic activities, with a population of about 130,000. It is also becoming a tip commercial center of the Amhara National Regional State, with cotton and oil factories, polytechnic and pedagogical colleges. There are also a growing number of Banks, Insurance companies, Tour and Travel Agents, Hotels, Pensions and Restaurants.

Bahir Dar serves as a departure and destination point along the “historical routes”. Thus, it is now hosting an ever increasing number of in-flowing domestic and international tourists almost throughout the year. The natural, historical and cultural spots in and around the city attract the attention of many visitors; making Bahir Dar a frequently visited place for both heritage and ecotourism.